So, there you go. Jeweli came back, and everyone's happy. Just FYI, I don't know if Ardeth actually has any family, but I'm taking creative license. Also, I'm starting college tomorrow, so I'll start slowing down, but I'll try to update every week if not more.

Ch. 21~ Goodbye Again

It hadn't been two days before the news came.

"What do you mean, you're leaving?" Jeweli stood in the middle of her new fiancee's tent, watching him go back and forth as he packed.

"We have had word that there is a group of men traveling to Hamenapra. It is our job to detour them, since we are the closest."

"But…if Imhotep's gone, and Seti's gold is completely sealed, why do you have to go?"

When he turned around, she had her arms crossed defensively over her chest. She wasn't looking at him, but the rug. Ardeth crossed the room and put his hands on her arms. "We do not know that for sure. We have to make sure he does not rise again." He sighed. He had only just got her back, and now he was leaving her. "We'll be gone a week, two at most. I'll be back before you even have time to miss me."

"That's a lie, and you know it."

He chuckled. "We will not be gone long, aho bi*, I promise. Until I return, be diligent in your studies, yes?"

"Alright. Maybe I'll surprise you with my amazing gift of tongues."

"Is that so?" he asked with a sly grin.

Jeweli punched his chest gently, "That's not what I meant, you goof. Now, get outta here that way you can get your sexy ass back sooner."

"You know, many would think it improper for such language to come from such a pretty mouth. But, I actually quite like it." He leaned down and kissed her. Their kisses had been gradually growing from the chaste pecks they started out as, to serious liplocks (like this one).

"Mm," she murmmered against his lips. "You better get going before they leave without you."

"They won't. Though I wouldn't argue over it."

"Ok, let me rephrase that. Go before someone comes looking for you."

"Alright, alright, I'm going." The dark man grabbed his pack before kissing her again. "I love you, I'll be back soon." They walked out.

"I love you, too."

Basal handed him the reins of his horse. "Do not worry, I'll bring him back in one piece."

"I'll hold you to it, Basal. Now, go."

Two Months Later

It was late, and all three women were already in bed. Jeweli and Analai shared a room since they were both unmarried and around the same age. Yaya and Analai had accepted Jeweli with open arms. They taught her everything she could possibly need to know about village life, and were patient with her when she struggled. She took to the life easily, but the language she was a bit slow with. Anyway, they were asleep, when they were woken by shouting and horse hooves in the street. Before you could say Supercalifragilistic Expialidotious, they were outside and running to the entrance of the town. Two riders had come ahead of the company with news and instructions. One of them found Yaya and spoke to her and Analai in quick, hushed words. Jeweli was already terrible at reading lips, but add that to it being Arabic, and she was hopeless.

The other women grabbed her by the arms suddenly, and pulled her in the direction of Ardeth's tent. "What's going on?"

"No time, we must hurry." Ananlai told her. What was so important they didn't have time to explain it.

They led her into the tent, instructing her to start a fire and put a pot of water over it. Then they left. Jeweli did as she was told, wondering what was going on. Noticing her hair was still down, she quickly braided it and sat down on his bed to wait. Ardeth's bed was rather neat. It was a naturally raised bit of earth covered in blackest and pillows. As she sat there, Jeweli couldn't help the images that came to mind when she though: Ardeth + Jeweli + Bed. Ah, the things that floated through her head, such very dirty thoughts that should never be allowed to see the light of day Now, the dark of night was a completely different story. However, every fantasy flew out the window when Basal stumbled into the tent with Ardeth leaning against him. His left arm was in a bloody sling.

"Oh, my God! What happened?!" she ran to them and helped the other man walk his brother to the bed. Once he was down, Jeweli turned on Basal. "What the hell happened out there? We've heard nothing from you guys and then you just turn up in the middle of the night." She had backed him against a pole. "You promised me you'd make sure he didn't get hurt! What the hell do you call that?! I swear to God, Basal, you had better tell me what happened, or so help me, you won't live to see your honeymoon. If you think-"

A hand reached over and grabbed her wrist, "Jeweliandra, calm down. I'm fine, woman." Ardeth pulled her away from his brother, before she could start throwing punches. "*I apologize, brother. You know how the women can be. You'd think I went and got myself shot on purpose.*"

Basal nodded. "*I understand, there is no reason to apologize. She's just worried about you. It's the first time. I'm going to see Analai. Have fun, brother.*" Then he was gone.

When she looked back at the man, he had a slight smile on his face. "Oh, no. Don't even think you're getting any special treatment just because you got hurt. Two weeks, that's what you told me, two weeks tops. It's been nearly two months, Ardeth. And not a word, not even a peep. Do you have any idea how worried I was, how scared I was that you might not come home? Damn straight, you're gonna have fun dealing with me, mister, 'cause I am beyond pissed right now." Jeweli turned away from him to pour the hot water into a bowl. "Apologizing to your brother because the woman who loves you was scared to death. Why I oughtta kick your ass from here to England and back. Maybe then you'll think twice about blowing off you're fiancée." By now she was muttering. "Might as well have walked right into the damn bullet."

He stopped her as she knelt down with the bowl and rags. "How did you know I was shot?"

"Because you just told Basal that you might've gotten yourself shot on purpose, the way I was acting. But, let me tell you something, buster, I-"

"You understood what we were saying?"

"Well, yeah. A lot changes in two months, Ardeth. I told you I might surprise you."

"Indeed you did, aho bi.*"

"Now, are you going to tell me what happened?" she started taking off his multitude of belts and other trinkets.

"The men who went to Hamenaptra were much better prepared to defend themselves than we thought. OW!" she had undone the sling, causing his arm to flop onto the bed.

"Big baby." Jeweli pulled his robes away from his chest and started helping him get his arms out. "And?"

"We tried scaring them off a few times, but they kept on digging. Eventually, they got very tired of us raiding their camp and decided to fight with guns."

"Uh-huh. And you wonder why I'm pissed. How big was the bullet?" She was unwrapping his shoulder now.

"Very small. It was shot from one of those tiny guns women keep in their bags."

"Oh, so you were gunned down by a woman?" Oh, this was great.

"No, I said it was a woman's gun. There were no women in their group. Although," he said to himself, "It wouldn't be much of a surprise in your case. Don't worry, they already removed the bullet."

Jeweli made a little noise in her throat when she saw the wound. Though it was a small bullet, the wound was very irritated from digging it out and riding with it in a sling. She cleaned the area, then slathered medicine on it, before wrapping it up with clean bandages.

"The next time you scare me like that, I might just kill you myself." She got up and started putting everything away. "You could have at least checked in. I know you got a new bird, so why the hell didn't you? I mean, c'mon. It's not really fair that you get to run off into the desert while I'm stuck here. Don't get me wrong, I love it here. Yaya and Analai have been nothing but kind to me, but I missed you. Do you realize how close that thing was to your heart? Another few inches, and you would still be at Hamenaptra. I can't believe-" She was cut off as Ardeth made her turn around.

"You talk too much, woman."

Ardeth

He pulled her against him as he kissed her, sweet and deep. He pulled her hands up to his neck, then wrapped his arms around her waist, bringing her flush against him. All those nights he'd lain under the stars, wondering what she was doing, how well she was getting on with life as a woman of the Madji, all those sneaky little thoughts that crept into his mind unbidden…though not unwelcome. Oh, how they'd made him shiver. His tongue swept across her lips, asking for entrance, which she gladly gave. Her fingers curled into his hair, keeping him there, though he wouldn't have moved for the world. One of his hands slid up her back and found the edge of her braid, which had grown much longer since their fight with Imhotep. Ardeth gently tugged the tie that held it, letting loose those silky strands he hadn't had the courage to play with until now. I suppose you could say that near death experiences had made him a bit more daring. The other hand went down to the top of her rear to rest there. He was letting Jeweli know how much he had missed her, and how happy he was to be home in the only way he could.

Until she accidently jarred his newly bandaged shoulder. He pulled away and hissed.

"Sorry! Sorry. Jesus Christ, Ardeth, please, don't ever scare me like that again."

He chuckled, "I shall try my hardest."

Jeweli pulled away just enough so that she could dig around her robes for a moment. "I have something for you. I asked the blacksmith to make it, since you're the one with the most risks." It was a charming amulet of the same metal as his, which hung around her neck. Only this one was a Sekmet amulet. "For protection. I didn't think it was very fair that you gave me yours, and I didn't give you one in return."

On the back it read: For my warrior, my protector, my darling love. Fly like a falcon, fight like a lion, my brave Madji. When you miss me, look to the heavens, and know that I am under those same stars, missing you. Forever yours, Jeweli.

"It is beautiful, Jeweliandra. Thank you." He took it out of the cloth and tied it on.

"It was originally supposed to be a replacement for this one," she gestured to the one she wore. "But, now, I'm starting to think that maybe the next time you leave me here, you'll be less likely to get yourself hurt when you remember that there's a lioness waiting at home to pounce you."

Ardeth raised an eyebrow and gave her an amused look. " 'A lion waiting to pounce me,' hm? You know, you foreigners come up with the most imaginative comparisons."

Her eyes widened when she realized what he meant. "Oh, no, no, no, no, no, I didn't mean it like that."

"You didn't? How disappointing." Ardeth grabbed her up under her thighs with his good arm and swung her around, making her squeal and laugh as she clung to him. He set her down, gently holding her when she dizzily stumbled. The both of them were breathless with laughter and exertion. "I love you, Jeweliandra."

"And I love you, Ardeth." She reached up on her toes to kiss him, being careful of his shoulder. When she stood back on her feet, he pressed his lips to her hair. "I, um," she cleared her throat, looking at him. "I should probably get back to the girls, it's late."

He looked at her funny. "Did they not tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

Ardeth chuckled. "When the men come back from a mission, their women, whether wives or betrothed, are allowed to stay with them. Just as with Basal and Analai right now." He ran his hands up and down her sides.

"Soooooooo…Yaya's not up waiting for me?" He shook his head. Jeweli smiled, "Well, then, in that case…" she reached up again. Ardeth went to kiss her again only to find himself turned around and being led to the bed. "You need to sleep. Despite whatever shinanagins are running through your mind right now (whether I'd like to continue or not), you are wounded and tired."

"Jeweliandra." He said with an exasperated sigh. "It hardly hurts, and I was sleeping on the way here."

"Mm-hm, sounds like the terrible toddler days all over again."

"Terrible toddler days?"

"Yeah, those days when little kids are always saying 'But I'm not tired,' when at the same time their eyes are drooping."

"It's true though."

"I don't give a rat's ass." Yes, she did, but she knew he wasn't in any condition for fooling around.

"And here I thought I would get to spend the evening showing you how much I missed you."

"Sorry, still fiancee. Plus, your body needs the energy to heal itself. You'll be out of commission for a while, sweetheart. Until then, you'll just have to content yourself with cuddling all night. If you'd rather, I can go back to Yaya's tent."

"No, that's alright," he sighed comically, "I suppose I can bear a few more months' worth of just cuddling."

"That's the spirit. C'mon."

They laid down with her head on his chest, and he held onto her with his good arm. Despite all his tomfoolery, he was perfectly content to just hold her. She had pulled her robe off and was wearing her thin shirt and shorts as pajamas. The feel of her skin against his, and her sweet breath tickling his collarbone was a better balm than any medicine. He felt her kiss the tattoos on his chest and stroke the one above his navel. Ardeth resisted the urge to tense and start laughing. Every since he'd gotten that tattoo, that spot had been especially sensitive. As she slowly drifted off to sleep, he listened to her breathing, felt her heartbeat against his side. He noticed, just before he fell under, that her heart beat in time with his under her hand. Ardeth smiled, a small, soft smile that was reserved for her and only her. His precious little lioness.